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They are certainly among the most promising young poets of our times. Alice reminds us at times of Mrs. Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Phebe, of Longfellow. The "Pictures of Memory," by Alice, on the 97th page of this volume, is one of the richest and most touching things we have seen. No lover of poetry who reads it attentively, can ever forget its sweetness. The volume contains more than 260 pages, and does great credit to authors and publishers.

J. G. A.

13. Sketches of Minnesota, the New England of the West. With Incidents of Travel in that Territory, during the Summer of 1849. In Two Parts. By E. S. Seymour. With a Map. New York: Harper & Brothers, &c. 1850. 12mo. pp. 281.

A history of its discovery and exploration by Catholic missionaries, fur-traders, adventurers, and travellers, together with a description of its natural features and productions, and a narrative of the author's excursions through various parts of the territory. We hardly knew where Minnesota lay, till, on opening the map in this volume, we saw it marked out on the North of Iowa and West of Lake Superior. The work is interesting, and furnishes about all the information now obtainable of this new opening to "the westward movement."

14. Cosmos: a sketch of a Physical Description of the Universe. By Alexander von Humboldt. Translated from the German, by E. C. Otté. &c. In Two Volumes. New York: Harper & Brothers, &c. 1850. 12mo.

It would be impertinent in us to set forth the merits of this world-renowned work of the most universal Naturalist of the present century. We need only say that the Messrs. Harpers have given it to us in what is regarded as the best English translation, accompanied with full indexes to facilitate reference, and that American readers owe thanks to them for this very welcome issue from their press.

15. Seventeenth Annual Report of the Seamen's Aid Society of the City of Boston, &c. Published by order of the Seamen's Aid Society. Boston: 1850. 8vo. pp. 32.

We commend this document, and especially the worthy enterprize of which it is the Report, to the benevolent of all classes.

16. Eighteenth Annual Report, presented to the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, by its Board of Managers, January 23, 1850. With an Appendix. Boston: Printed by Andrews & Prentiss, &c. 1850. 8vo. pp. 112.

There is much that is valuable in the sketch which this Report

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Literary Notices.

[April, contains of the public movements in our country for and against slavery. We cannot, of course, sympathize in the least with the hostility of the Society to the Church and to the Government. So far, however, as respects its secession from our National Compact, we see that some of our veteran politicians, at Washington, are doing all they can to make its position the right one. In spite of all profoundness in constitutional theory, he is at bottom a shallow statesman who strives to array the Constitution of his country against the moral sense of the people. Which, does he suppose, is the more likely to survive, if set in sharp conflict with each other?

17. The Annual of Scientific Discovery: or Year-Book of Facts in Science and Art, exhibiting the most important Discoveries and Improvements in Mechanics, Useful Arts, Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, Astronomy, Meteorology, Zoology, Botany, Mineralogy, Geology, Geography, Antiquities. Together with a List of recent Scientific Publications; a classified List of Patents; Obituaries of eminent Scientific Men; an Index of important Papers in Scientific Journals, Reports, etc. Edited by David A. Wells, of the Lawrence Scientific School, Cambridge, and George Bliss, Jr. Boston: Gould, Kendall, and Lincoln, &c. 1850. 12mo. pp. 392.

This publication is new in our country, and such as we could not perhaps hope for, were it not for the facilities afforded by the Lawrence Scientific School. The title-page sufficiently defines the field it occupies. In the subjects there enumerated, it is an authentic summary of all important facts which have been announced, in every part of the world, for the last year or two. A similar volume will appear annually, thus carrying on the history, or journal, of new discoveries and improvements, year by year, and placing the collected information within the reach of every reader. We need not expatiate on the value of such a work.

ART. XV.

Qualifications of the Minister.

THE office of the Christian Teacher is the noblest, perhaps, ever committed to men, and the most momentous in its influences and results. The human soul, bearing the impress of Divinity, possessing large capacities of happiness and woe, capable of indefinite expansion, destined to never-ending progress, carrying within it the seeds of misery and enjoyment, as it passes through the various influences of time; this is the subject upon which the minister is to act, to purify it from sin, to free it from error. To preserve it from the evil influences that exist in the world, to fortify it by firm moral principle, to inspire it with an ardent love of the truth; this, under the guidance of God's holy spirit, should be the aim and purpose of every preacher. The welfare of individuals and society, is, in a measure, put into his hands. He is commissioned to go forth in the strength of the Most High, and to overcome sin and error, bind up the wounds of sorrow, correct the wayward, and bring back the wanderer. All other offices which concern man's mental and moral wants are impor tant, but this is the most important. It intimately concerns man's highest interests.

If the preacher's office is so momentous, it is necessary that he be well fitted for it. He should "covet earnestly the best gifts," and faithfully use them in promoting the great objects of his labors. He cannot labor without means; and as his office is the most important, so he should be provided with the best means. In this way only, can he hope to attain the most complete success. No inferior instruments, and certainly no base counterfeits or sham substitutes, will avail here. The able preacher must be thoroughly furnished with every human and divine aid in his power, that he may effectually accomplish his work.

While the minds of our denomination are agitated upon this subject, while our attention is called to the establish

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ment of a College and Theological Seminary, we deem it not inappropriate to consider some of the means by which the Christian preacher can best perform the duties of his station.

I. The Christian preacher must have a good Moral and Religious Character. This is the first requisite. The reasons are evident. The preacher professes, by virtue of his office, to be a reformer, in the most comprehensive sense of the word. He seeks to raise men up from the pit of moral degradation to the life of obedience and holiness. He teaches men to be virtuous and holy; and it is obvious that if he would sanction his teachings and make them truly effective, he too must be virtuous and holy. For how can the people have any faith in a course of conduct marked out by their professed guide for them to pursue, unless he himself is seen to walk in it? In their eyes, he is a leader, and they are to follow him; he is their exemplar, and they are to pattern after him. And if he has their confidence, they will do it, to some extent at least. If he is honest and devoted, they will become so; if be is vicious and depraved, they will be inclined to follow him. This is human nature. It is natural for us to walk in the steps of those who, we believe, are superior to ourselves in wisdom, talent, and knowledge, whether they pursue the path of virtue or vice. And unless the professed teacher of virtue and truth is himself true and virtuous, he may as well give up his profession at once, for his labors will be productive of more evil than good. He never will build up the cause of righteousness. He will even destroy the good which other laborers have wrought.

But he must not only be a good moral man; he must be religious, devotional, truly Christian. The Pagan or Mohammedan, who rejects our Bible, may be strictly moral. He may be a good citizen, kind in his family, honest in his dealings, charitable towards all men, yet if he has no faith in the true and living God, and in his special revelation, or in Christ as his Saviour, and the Saviour of the world, we should hardly be willing to receive him as our Christian teacher. So there are some men, in every Christian community, who are kind and faithful in all their intercourse with their neighbors and friends, but who have nothing of the religious or devo

tional element in their hearts, and consequently are unfit to become preachers of the gospel.

We are aware that some make little or no distinction between morality and religion. But nature and revelation both teach us that we are under peculiar obligations to our Creator and heavenly Benefactor, which are distinct from those which we owe to our fellow men. We are required to worship God, to love him with all our might, mind and strength, and our neighbor as ourself. Here are two classes of duties, distinct from each other, one of which can be performed while the other is omitted. We may take a deep interest in the welfare of our fellowmen, and maintain the outward form of morality, without even a thought of God and the duties we owe him. We will allow that morality is of little worth, without the indwelling love of God in the heart, and that there can be no rational or safe piety without conforming our lives to his moral requirements. But this is very different from denying that the two are identical. A man may be good, without recognizing his obligations to his Creator, or having any claims to piety or devoutness of feeling. But in that case he never can make a successful preacher. To be fitted for this sacred office, he must not only be good and just, but devout, prayerful, full of the holy spirit and faith, "an example of the believers," not only "in word, in conversation, in charity" but also, "in spirit, in faith, in purity." Devotion, spirituality, the communion of our spirits with the spiritual Father, is the life of the Christian; and if the preacher is devoid of this element, he ought to give up his office at once, and enter upon some more congenial pursuit. He is out of his element. Some such persons have, at times, crept into the ministry of Christ. But their preaching does little good. They hang like a dead weight upon the society to which they minister. They will soon drive out all religious life and fervor from it, and cause it to perish, by a lingering death. We might point to societies that have been thus treated; but we forbear. Enough for us, if we see the evil and avoid it. The preacher must feel the necessity of cherishing in his soul the moral and spiritual elements, if he would in

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11 Tim. iv. 12.

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